The popularity of lottery-type games of chance extends throughout the world. In their most popular forms, games of this type can ordinarily be played for a relatively low initial "investment", with the typical game affording the player the opportunity to win prizes that can be many times the initial cost of play. Relatively smaller prizes are also typically awarded, thus providing players the chance to win many different prizes.
Games of this nature are not only popular for the entertainment value they afford to players, but further, typically provide a source of revenue for the operator of the game. Game operators may be municipal or state governments, charitable groups, or private organizations. For government and charitable organizations, such games desirably augment other sources of revenue in a manner which is popular with the game players. For a private organization, such as a tavern or nightclub operator, the entertainment provided to patrons who play the game can be just as valuable as the revenue the game generates.
As will be appreciated, the entertainment and fun which these types of games of chance provide can be enhanced by affording a player the opportunity to win more than one prize from a single ticket, playing card, or like playing piece. Thus, some games are arranged so that a single playing piece may have multiple winning combinations of numbers, letters, or other game symbols. Ordinarily, each winning combination of symbols corresponds to a predetermined award value or prize, with a ticket having multiple winning combinations thus being worth the total of the combined award value of all of the winning combinations.
Bearing in mind that games of the present type are frequently played in taverns or nightclubs, at charitable "casino nights", and the like, it is not unusual that the operator of the game may have a large number of players, and may be responsible for other activities at the establishment. In this context, correct determination of the total award value for game pieces having multiple winning combinations can be distracting and time-consuming. Obviously, proper determination of the total award value is important for both the game player and the operator.
Accordingly, the present gaming system has been particularly configured to not only provide players with the entertainment of potential multiple winning playing cards, but additionally provides an arrangement whereby the operator of the game can quickly and accurately determine the total award value of those game cards having multiple winning combinations.